De La Soul: Buhloone Mind State (LP & 2xLP)

"Fuck being hard, Posdnuos is complicated!"

It feels like the summer of 96 all over again! Yes I know this was released a year earlier but I slept on this for a good twelve months before I really started to 'get it'. I put this down to all the Soul Assassins, Ice Cube and generally up tempo, aggressive stuff I was listening to at the time - This LP is like a chilled out July afternoon.

Luckily I now have two versions of this on wax, the original UK Big Life edition and a far superior double vinyl bootleg edition (which is what the LP really deserved).

The highlights are many but if I have to pick then the incredible I Be Blowin' featuring Maceo Parker just slays it (as does the vocal version I Am I Be) and the jazzy Patti Dooke (featuring Guru on the hook) really sets the tone for a classic De La LP. Sadly, there last with Prince Paul.

Choir of Young Believers: Hollow Talk

This song has haunted, beguiled and entrapped me in equal measure for about the last 2 months.

An incredible piece of music from start to finish. I would love to pick it up on vinyl but unfortunately it's only available on the Danish version of the LP (This Is For The White of Your Eyes) so please somebody somewhere please press this on vinyl! 7" or 12" I'm not fussed.

You will possibly recognise the tune from the BBC 4 Swedish/ Danish drama series Bron | Broen (The Bridge). It's where I heard it first and haven't been able to budge it from my mind since.

It's utterly euphoric, from the piano keys on the intro to the children's choir at the end. Staggeringly beautiful.

My favourite song of the year so far? Quite possibly.

                                  

Masta Ace Incorporated: The INC Ride (12")

The summer is here!!!

Well okay, we've had three days of good weather so that counts in my book and there is no better summer jam than Ase Ones INC Ride!!

This 12" is practically nailed to my turntable as soon as June hits! Featuring the a super smooth Isley Brothers sample this is just the tune to be bouncin' along to in your Caddie/Ford/ Hyundai (delete as appropriate) as your arm gets sun burnt!

The only thing I don't like about this 12" is the piss poor 'No Ends' Remix. Oh and the lack of an acapella. Other than those minor gripes this is straight FIRE!

The Funk League: Funky As Usual (2xLP)

Funky As Usual is a bit of an All Star package of all your favourite 90's East Coast MC's.

Xtra P, Sadat X and Diamond D all appear over some classic 90's inspired beats from Jackson J.

The Funk League have kicked of the summer on a high note! This one will be on the decks for a good few weeks to come and strangely enough my favourite track on the whole LP is the final cut; Hyponitzed featuring Joyous Juice & Kylie Auldist.

This is a cracking neo-soul banger that I can't really get enough of.

Tell The People What You're Here For...

You want to know what I'm listening to currently? Perhaps not but if you want know about some of the hottest shit ever committed to wax then great! This will be my vinyl purchases, digital, cassette or even a cool TV theme I have just listened to.

One thing that can be guaranteed, is that it will be off the cuff, eclectic and above all feature some ear phone bleedingly awesome music!!

Also, if you're on Discogs then hit me up with a Friend Request. I'm The_Turlanator